The board of COL-RICE recently approved a tender schedule to administer the 2013 tariff rate quota (TRQ) for U.S. rice shipped to Colombia under the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA). Under the TPA, increasing amounts of U.S. rice enjoy zero-duty access to Colombia over 18 years while Colombia's import duty on U.S. rice drops to zero.

The TRQ for 2013 is 82,555 metric tons (mt), milled rice equivalent. The TRQ is administered by COL-RICE, a not-for-profit company, which auctions off certificates entitling the holding to enter an amount of U.S. rice duty-free onto the Colombian market. The COL-RICE administrator will hold a minimum of three auctions this year as follows:

• Feb. 4-6 — 53,000 mt — for arrival through June 30

• June 3 —12,000 mt — for arrival July 1-Oct. 15

• Oct. 1 — 17,555 mt — for arrival Oct. 15-Dec. 31

The Oct. 1 auction will include in addition any awarded tonnage from the Feb. 4-6 auction that did not clear Colombian customs by June 30. There is also provision for a fourth auction as needed in October for awarded tonnage from the June 3 auction that did not clear Colombian customs by Oct. 15. Any tonnage awarded from a fourth auction would be able to enter Colombia through Dec. 31. Complete details of the tender schedule and Notices of Open Tenders will be available on the COL-RICE website: www.COL-RICE.org

The 2013 schedule represents a concerted effort by COL-RICE directors, the USA Rice Federation and officials from the U.S. and Colombian governments to ensure that the provisions of the TPA are carried out in the administration of the TRQ.